Video offered by the Austin Unbiased College District in Texas captures Waymo autonomous automobiles driving previous stopped faculty buses in 2025, elevating recent security considerations concerning the know-how.
A U.S. security company has opened an investigation into Waymo, after its autonomous automobiles have been allegedly caught driving previous stopped faculty buses in Austin, Texas, in accordance with a letter despatched by the Nationwide Freeway Site visitors Security Administration (NHTSA) to the corporate on Dec. 3.
In an announcement to FOX Enterprise, Austin Unbiased College District (AISD) police mentioned Waymo self-driving automobiles have been cited 20 occasions as of Monday, and that the corporate has refused to halt operations till the difficulty is correctly resolved.
Footage offered by AISD exhibits not less than 19 incidents for the reason that faculty 12 months started during which Waymo automobiles drove previous stopped faculty buses with pink lights flashing and cease arms deployed, whereas pedestrians have been visibly strolling in close by streets and crosswalks. The movies present that in some instances, Waymo automobiles initially slowed or stopped for varsity buses earlier than continuing by.
In its letter to the corporate, the NHTSA mentioned it has opened an analysis into the “efficiency of the Waymo ADS round stopped faculty buses and the system’s skill to observe visitors security legal guidelines regarding faculty buses.”
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Safety footage exhibits a white Waymo self-driving automobile passing a parked faculty bus with its cease indicators prolonged and lights flashing in Austin, Texas. (Austin Unbiased College District / Fox Information)
The company added that “such sudden driving behaviors or not complying with visitors security legal guidelines regarding faculty buses could enhance the danger of crash, harm, and property injury.”
AISD Chief of Police Wayne Sneed mentioned in an announcement to FOX Enterprise that Waymo has refused to halt operations till the corporate can guarantee its automobiles is not going to violate the legislation.
“Regardless of quite a few requests, Waymo has refused to stop operations,” Sneed mentioned.
“Moreover, we offered them with one other video dated Dec. 1, 2025, displaying one among their automobiles passing one other one among our buses whereas college students have been loading. On this occasion, the bus was and had been stopped with pink flashing lights and activated for practically a full minute earlier than their automobile handed—an unequivocal violation of State Legislation.”
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A Waymo autonomous automobile drives previous a stopped faculty bus in Austin, Texas. (Austin Unbiased College District / Fox Information)
Sneed added that Waymo was notified of the difficulty in mid-November, and whereas the corporate mentioned it has since resolved the difficulty, alleged violations have continued.
“They reported that programming modifications had been carried out in mid-November to right earlier violations. Nevertheless, the Dec. 1, 2025 incident signifies that these programming modifications didn’t resolve the difficulty or our considerations,” Sneed mentioned.
Reuters beforehand reported that in a Nov. 20 letter posted by the NHTSA, the AISD mentioned 5 incidents occurred that month after Waymo mentioned it had made software program updates to deal with the issue.
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A Waymo autonomous SUV is seen driving by a college bus cease zone whereas the bus is parked with its cease arms out and pink lights flashing in Austin, Texas. (Austin Unbiased College District / Fox Information)
Waymo confirmed to FOX Enterprise on Thursday that when the corporate grew to become conscious of the difficulty, it moved shortly to deal with it and carried out updates by Nov. 17.
The corporate mentioned the updates have “meaningfully improved efficiency” to a degree higher than even human drivers. Waymo additionally claimed that its data present that Waymo proceeded cautiously when nobody was current.
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“Bettering highway security is our high precedence at Waymo and we’re deeply invested in protected interplay with faculty buses. We swiftly carried out software program updates to deal with this and can proceed to quickly enhance,” a Waymo spokesperson mentioned.
The investigation comes as Waymo is reportedly planning to increase its self-driving service to Dallas in 2026, in accordance with FOX 4 Dallas, which added that the corporate is at the moment road-testing its automobiles within the metropolis.
